Cossmass Infinities 11 – The Children of Alex Rankin

Submitted by Paul Campbell on Nov 10th, 2010

Content Rating: General

Written by Steve Vance

Read by Paul W Campbell

His name was Sergio Oliva, and the other children called him “Pollo.” “Chicken.”

Melanie Rankin was sitting beneath the ancient elm in the southeast corner of the schoolyard, reading PRIDE AND PREJUDICE (for the third time), when she heard Sergio wheezing heavily while trying to keep up with the other eight­year­olds who were running riot throughout the playground. He tried to emulate their joyous cries and the abandon with which they chased one another, but the best that he could manage was a kind of wan laughter as he hobbled behind the noisy group.

Melanie thought that Sergio was a beautiful child, with the largest brown eyes she had ever seen. But his right leg was badly misshapen at both the knee and ankle, so that even with a brace and several past surgeries, he was still forced to throw his arms away from his body in a desperate effort to maintain his balance with every step. The action reminded the other kids of a bird flapping its wings.